How to make Toto 'Africa' synth in DRC

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‘Africa’ by Toto is a track which almost doesn’t need an introduction, thanks in part, to its incredibly catchy riff, right from the start. If someone asked you to explain the term ‘earworm’ to them, simply playing this song would probably be enough.

Written on the then popular, now classic, polyphonic analog synthesizer of the 80’s, the Yamaha CS-80, it’s no surprise the lead sound has a very ‘brassy’ character.

Originally released as a single in 1982, the song has since attracted a completely different generation of fans, having cemented its place in pop culture history and achieved true meme status, referenced on cult comedy cartoons like South Park, Family Guy, and TV shows such as Stranger Things, Community and The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon (feat. Justin Timberlake).

On the eve of the band’s “40 Trips Around The Sun” world tour, guitarist Steve Lukather recently expressed how happy he is to attract the new, younger audience, “partly thanks to EDM guys playing Africa to end their sets.”

The song’s lyrics are often a source of amusement for those who care to dissect and analyse them, but with such a feel-good chorus, we think it could still work with just about any words!